The phrase “Dine Originals Week” has become synonymous with “date week” in my house. The best restaurants in the city offering discounted menus? Frugal romance at its finest. However, this year’s “Dine Originals Week” will not follow the familiar prix fixe format.
“We had a board retreat a few months ago to review the whole ‘restaurant week’ concept,” explained Katharine Moore, Executive Director of Dine Originals Columbus in an email. “Since we launched the first one five years ago, every Tom, Dick, and Olive Garden has come out with something similar. The calendar has gotten cluttered and the consumer a bit confused. Just as importantly, we realized that by imposing a three course/fixed price menu on all of our members, we were taking a cookie cutter approach, with is a very UN original move!”
Instead, this year’s “Dine Originals 10” will feature 10 days of events, special menus and yes, still some discounted dishes. Plenty of drink-centric events are scheduled as part of the lineup. Here are a few of my favorites:
March 10: 10 Wine Tasting, The Top Steakhouse, $20, 614-231-8238
March 11: Blind Wine Tastings, Refectory, $10, 614-451-9774
March 11: OYO Spirit Tasting, Barrel 44 Bexley, $20, 614-824-1058
March 13: Sketches of Spain Wine Tasting, Shaw’s Restaurant & Inn, $10, 740-654-1842
March 14: Five Course Beer Pairing Dinner, Bodega, $60, 614-299-9399
March 17: Wine Tasting with live entertainment, Black Creek Bistro, $30, 614-246-9662
March 20: Whiskey Wednesday, Hubbard Grille, $40, 614-291-5000
Reservations are highly recommended and, for some events, required. Call ahead for availability. Dine Originals 10 will take place March 11-20. More events and details are posted to the Dine Originals website.
DRINK UP COLUMBUS GIVEAWAY We’ve got a pair of tickets ($80 value) to Hubbard Grille’s Whiskey Wednesday event March 20! To enter, leave a comment telling us what event or special from Dine Originals 10 has you most excited. For a bonus entry, tweet a link to this post and use the hashtag #drinkupcolumbus. (You must first leave a comment on this post for your Tweet entry to be counted.) Contest ends at 5pm Thursday, March 14. Winner will be randomly selected and notified via email by 9am Friday, March 15.
42 Comments on "Dine Originals 10 + Giveaway"
I’m going to Tip Top for the Cajun Cream Sauce, and a starter of Ohio Nachos. Can’t wait!
Looking forward to the Barrel44 event the most! Great setting, drinks and food. #drinkupcolumbus
TRATTORIA ROMA!! The Scotch Egg sounds amazing!!
I’m excited for all of the great specials and opportunity to explore new restaurants during the week! It’s always such a great opportunity to take advantage 🙂
Wine Tasting & The Top Steakhouse…….. my 2 FAVORITE things!!! 🙂 @akincannon
I’m looking forward to finally getting to Black Creek Bistro, I’ve heard so many good things!
Barrl44 – Everything OYO makes is perfection!
The whiskey tasting at Barrel 44! Their whiskey tastings are always a great time.
My mom and I have mother/daughter dates during Dine Originals. We love having new culinary adventures, and going back to our safe bet restaurants, as well. She loves going to The Refectory and G Michaels is always my pick of the litter.
i’m tied between the beer pairing dinner and the whiskey tasting in term of geeking out over alcohol! My brother and I love finding new drinks in Columbus.
The whiskey tasting has me the most excited. I love whiskey AND it’s during my birthday week — perfect!!
Whiskey Wednesday!!!!! Can never go wrong with whiskey
March 14: Five Course Beer Pairing Dinner, Bodega – – – BEER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ummm… wine and entertainment… count me in, Black Creek!
The beer pairing dinner at bodega. Five courses of beer and food can’t possibly be a bad time.
what could be better than a dry cabernet sauvignon @ vino vino with a nice grilled beef tenderloin? finish up with the heath bar cheesecake
the Five Course Beer Pairing Dinner, Bodega is right up my ally.
Dan
Looking forward to the grilled cheese happy hour at Rigsby’s. Who else can make something simple like grilled cheese be exciting? Only Kent Rigsby!
Gimme that wine tasting at Black Creek Bistro.
OYO Spirit Tasting, their whiskeys and vanilla bean vodka are so good! Cant wait to see if they have anything new coming out
Wine tasting at Blackcreek all the way
OYO whiskey tasting at Barrel 44 is slightly my favorite since I loves me whiskey…but they all look good!
The wine tasting at Black Creek Bistro sounds amazing.
Looking forward to Barrel 44. Fan of OYO, just very uncreative in my own mixing. The Stonefruit is amazing, if only I knew what to mix it with besides Sprite!
I’m torn between Whiskey Wednesday and the OYO Spirit Tasting!
Roasted Pig’s Head at The Top Steakhouse: Where and when else would I be able to try this?!
Thanks for always letting us know what is going on around Cbus – I often find things that fly under my radar. I can’t wait to try Whisky Wednesday!
I’d love to attend the Whisky Wednesday, plus, someone commented about Scotch Eggs… and it’s been far too long since I’ve had one.
Wonderful Whiskey Wednesday!
The beer dinner by Bodega. Love matching food with beer.
Looking forward to the whiskey tasting!
Mmm, the Bodega beer pairing sounds amazing!
As a frequenter of Curio, barrel 44, Giuseppe’s Ritrovo, I find myself learning more and more about the fantastic local cocktail scene. I am always looking for more info on whiskey (scotch, bourbon, or otherwise). This event at Hubbard will be on my list for sure. Besides that, the OYO tasting looks great too!
Whiskey Wednesday, Hubbard Grille. This would be awesome to attend! Love whiskey in small amounts and occasionally large amounts!
-Stu
Refectory brings out good selections for their tastings and done OYO tasting at their distillery. Never quite made it to Hubbard, but Whiskey Tasting must just be the thing I needed. Oh and also….DIRTY FRANK’S TEN DAY CHALLENGE, “Delified” Charcuterie Board at Katz, Roasted pig’s head and can’t miss Skillet. Can you tell I’m a foodie!
I’m looking forward to the Dirty Frank’s special/challenge, though I’m not sure I’ll be able to beat it.
Excited for Chile Verde’s $8 Green Chile Pork Tacos. Hoping I can round up some people to go with me for lunch!
Definitely the whiskey tasting – I am a bourbon girl at heart!
OYO tasting? YES PLEASE!
Your the winner, Chris! You’ll be receiving an email from me soon! Congrats!
Hoping to try those seared scallops from Basi! And maybe a cocktail made by bartender Chris Manis.
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